PBEDINO AUD PATTENING. 



in England, and the fatting process there most common is to 

 give them a gruel made of pot liquor and bruised oats, with 

 which are mixed hog's grease, sugar, and milk. The fowls are 

 kept very warm, and crammed morning and night. They are 

 pnt into the coop, and kept there two or three days before the 

 cramming begins, and then it is continued for a fortnight, and 

 the birds are sent to market. 



The lady poultry -breeder before-mentioned summarizes, in an 

 admirable manner, the way in which fowls should be kept by 

 those who are not stinted for space, and who are desirous of 

 deriving profit as well as pleasure from their " fancy," as the 

 vulgar phrase is. 



" The most expensive of all food we find to be barley, cm 

 natvA-el. Not only is a considerable proportion, thrown about 

 and wasted, but much that is swallowed is never digested. We, 

 therefore, give it as a change and an indulgence; and by no 

 means as the staple of their food. Indian meal is the best 

 staple, according to our experience. It is well scalded, that 

 the swelling may be done before eating, instead of after, thus 

 avoiding various maladies and perils from over-eating. Broken 

 rice, well boiled, is good to a certain extent. Malt-dust is a 

 valuable resource. The demand is becoming so great, that 

 probably it will soon cease to be a cheap food ; but while it 

 remains so it is a real boon both to the fowls and their owners. 

 They wiU eat almost anything that is sprinkled with malt-dust; 

 and a 6s. sack of it goes a long way. A certain proportion of 

 green food, and also of animal food, is indispensable. Lettuce- 

 leaves, turnip-tops, cabbage-leaves, celery, should be thrown 

 to them. They should have access to grass, to pick seeds and 

 insects ; and it is well to put a fresh sod into the poultry -yard 

 whenever such a valuable thing may be spared. All the worms 

 and insects that come in the gardener's way should be presented 

 to them ; and when insects are scarce, scraps of raw meat, minced 

 as fine as pin's heads, should be given. Add finely-chopped 

 eggs for infant chicks, and I think the bill of fare is complete. 

 As for the pepper-corn which old wives recommend as the firrt 

 thing to be swallowed, we reprobate the notion as we should in 

 the case of any other new-bom creature. In fact, it irritates 

 the crop very mischievously if it gives out its savour, and if it 

 does not dissolve it is nothing." 



In a strictly business point of view, the results of thia 

 management were not particularly brilKant ; yet we have not 

 the least doubt that the majority of poultry keepers — into 



